COLORADO SPRINGS -
Despite three consecutive Wisconsin goals, the No. 9/10 University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team (5-4-0, 2-3-0 WCHA) was unable to contain No. 7 Colorado College (6-3-0, 6-1-0) on Friday at World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Badgers fell 4-3 to the Tigers, who sit atop the WCHA standings.
Colorado College scored the only goal in the first period at 12:43. The Tigers got on the board with a score by senior Jimmy Kilpatrick. Jake Gannon and Chad Rou were credited with the assist on Kilpatrick’s third goal of the season.
After being held scoreless in the first, Wisconsin responded in the second stanza to score two goals to CC’s one. The Tigers drew their lead to 2-0 with a goal less than two minutes into the third period. Rou skated from the outside edge of the right circle to the inside, where he fired a wrist shot that slid between Badger goaltender Shane Connelly’s legs. Kilpatrick tallied the assist on the Tiger score.
Less than two minutes later, Wisconsin answered back to cut CC’s lead to one. Sophomore Michael Davies found the back of the net at the 3:26 mark. Ben Grotting and Kyle Turris recorded assists on Davies’ third goal of the season.
With 58 seconds remaining in the second period, sophomore John Mitchell tied the game for Wisconsin at 2-2. Mitchell backhanded a shot between goalie Richard Bachman’s legs. Assists were credited to freshman Ryan McDonagh and sophomore Jamie McBain.
The Badgers returned to the ice after intermission with the momentum from the end of the previous period. Wisconsin earned its first lead of the night just 24 seconds into the stanza with a goal by sophomore Blake Geoffrion. Josh Engel took a quick shot which was saved by Bachman. Geoffrion collected the rebound to put the puck back past Bachman, bringing the Badgers up 3-2.
Wisconsin’s three consecutive goals were not enough to seal the win, as CC scored two additional times in the third. Rou and Kilpatrick both scored their second goals of the night for the Tigers in the final period. Rou’s goal came during a Wisconsin power-play.
Connelly stopped 15 shots for Wisconsin, while the Badgers fired 32 shots at Bachman. Wisconsin went 0-for-3 on the power play and held CC scoreless on their two power-play attempts.